they are incapable of fair play, they have little regard for the knowledge or authority of anyone who makes less money than they do, and, generally, regard their own will (and whims) as the only criterion for behavior. Until professional athletes stop being rewarded for such behavior, and start being penalized in a substantial fashion, the situation will only become worse.
Mike Tyson's attack on Evander Holyfield is only the most shocking of recent examples of behavior that is completely outside the range of acceptable aggressive competition. Bulls player Dennis Rodman kicked a camera operator. Norm Van Exel of the Lakers slammed his elbow into a referee. Tennis stars, such as AndrT Agassi and John McEnroe, got more attention for throwing tantrums and arguing with referees than they did for winning. And, off the field, this type of behavior is supplemented by "drug abuse by athletes, arrests for drunken driving, betting and recruiting scandals, and, most disturbingly, rape and other sex-related crimes" (Goodman, 1994, p. 47).
Some may argue that, as far as the manner of play goes, professional sport is a business, and it can be conducted as the participants see fit. The counter-argument is that, whether they seek it or not, professional athletes' actions have an impact on the rest of society. This impact takes several forms that could be summed up in the phrase "role model." Though some athletes may claim that this is not a part of their job, the consequences of their behavior are unavoidable. As Karl Malone argued, "we don't choose to be role models, we are chosen" (1994, p. 43).
The most common use of the term "role model," refers to the impact that athletes have on young people. Their example is important in two ways. First, young people tend to emulate those people they admire--in personal, as well as sports-related, behavior. Second, much of what young people learn about how to play sports comes from their ...